Mid-Face Lift
About the Mid-Face Lift Procedure
The mid-face lift is a type of cosmetic surgery proposed to give a more youthful appearance of the face. The mid face, also known as the cheek pad, is a combination of fat and fibrous tissue beneath the skin. It is not well supported and as those already weak support structures weaken further with time the constant effects of gravity cause a vertical descent of the mid-face.
In Dr. Yousif’s opinion, mid-face descent along with the aging of the neck may be the most important parts of facial aging. The descent of the mid-face creates some of the most significant visible effects of aging, including deepening of nasolabial folds, jowls, marionette lines, visual lengthening of the lower eyelids, a sub-malar depression, and widening of the lower part of the face.
Many different types of procedures have been proposed for mid-face restoration. Some techniques involve some type of elevation of the descended mid-face upward and outward. Others use fat to restore the fullness of the mid-face. Unfortunately, many of those techniques do not fully restore the natural look of the youthful face or restore the lower lid junction which is so important in the youthful appearance.
Dr. Yousif has described and published the use of a Gore-Tex sling, placed to help prevent the re-descent of the mid-face and has followed those patients of over 15 years and has found that the mid-face, in general stays in place. That sling is in the soft tissue of the face is not visible or palpable. Dr. Yousif also uses techniques that do use Gore-tex. The decision of which procedure is right for you will be discussed in detail.
The most important part of facial rejuvenation is to have an appropriate evaluation so that the right procedure is designed for each person.
Before
After
Types of Mid-Face Lifts
The Mid-Face Lift
The mid-face, also known as the cheek pad, is a combination of fat and fibrous tissue beneath the skin. It is not well supported and as those already weak support structures weaken further with time the constant effects of gravity cause a vertical descent of the mid-face. This creates a loss of volume in the cheek and a visual lengthening of the lower eyelids.
In Dr. Yousif’s opinion, mid-face descent along with the aging of the neck may be the most important parts of facial aging. The descent of the mid-face creates many of the most significant visible effects of aging, including deepening of nasolabial folds, jowls, marionette lines, visual lengthening of the lower eyelids, a sub-malar depression, and widening of the lower part of the face. Many different types of procedures have been proposed for mid-face restoration. Some techniques involve some type of elevation of the descended mid-face upward and outward. Unfortunately, that does not correct most of the problems of mid-face aging. The lower eyelids, the malar depression, and the nasolabial folds are all not improved. Beyond that, the face takes on an unnatural look because the fat layer has been placed in a place it was never intended to be. Some surgeons are injecting fat into the cheek area to make up for the lack of replacement of the mid-face. This just gives the face an unnatural round look. Fat injections into the mid-face can, at times, help to improve the youthful fullness of the cheeks but may not help the lower lid lengthening.
Deciding which technique is best for you is something that needs to be evaluated and discussed prior to surgery.
Sling Supported Mid-face Lift
Dr. Yousif has described using a sling to support the midface lift. Different products can be used as the sling material. Dr. Yousif has used Gore-tex sling for many years to prevent the re-descent of the midface after it has been lifted. It is placed deep in the soft tissue and is not typically palpable or visible. A review of patients with that sling was published in 2002 in PRS, the national plastic surgery journal. In following patients, the midface is supported with minimal descent even after 10-15 years.
What to Expect
Key Considerations
Remember that facelifts are complicated procedures and in many cases the patient’s greatest desire is to “not look as though they had surgery.” That means putting the facial structures back to where there were in youth. In many cases that may mean lifting the mid face back into the correct position. That improves the look of the face and the lower lids and often creates results that are natural as well as youthful.
Recovery
The post-operative recovery after facial rejuvenation depends greatly on what was done. Bruising is variable but most is resolved by 2-3 weeks, if not earlier. Almost all is gone by 4 weeks. It is important to understand that the body heals by placing scar tissue to seal areas. So scars are present not only at the incision sites but also internally as well. Scar tissue can be felt as firm areas or swelling underneath the skin. The body can take 4-6 months to soften those areas.
Results
Although the results, of most facial rejuvenation, look good within the first few weeks the final result is usually seen at 4-6 months and should last for years to come. The skin in some areas may feel numb but that almost always resolves in a few months.